First computer process and second computer process proxy-executing code from third computer process on behalf of first process

ABSTRACT

A first computer process has code including at least one triggering device, and a digital license corresponding to the first process sets forth terms and conditions for operating same. A second computer process proxy-executes code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process on behalf of same. The second process includes a license evaluator for evaluating the license to determining that the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in such license. A third computer process includes the code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process and an address of the triggering device in the first process. Thus, the first process is dependent on and cannot be operated without the second process and the third process.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation-in-part of prior applicationSer. No. 10/681,017, filed Oct. 8, 2003 and hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a first process on a computer and a secondprocess on the computer that executes code on behalf of and as a proxyfor such first process. More particularly, the invention relates to asecurity process on the computer that proxy-executes the code on behalfof an application process only if the security process is satisfiedbased on a license or the like that the application process is entitledto be operating on the computer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A computer application distributor wishes to distribute such computerapplication to each of many users or recipients in exchange for alicense fee or some other consideration. However, such distributortypically also wishes to restrict what each user or recipient can dowith such distributed computer application. For example, the distributorwould like to restrict the user from copying and re-distributing suchapplication to a second user, at least in a manner that denies thedistributor a license fee from such second user.

In addition, the distributor may wish to provide the user with theflexibility to purchase different types of use licenses at differentlicense fees, while at the same time holding the user to the terms ofwhatever type of license is in fact purchased. For example, thedistributor may wish to allow the application to be executed only alimited number of times, only for a certain total time, only on acertain type of machine, only on a certain type of rendering platform,only by a certain type of user, etc. Likewise, the distributor may wishto allow one user to pay a smaller license fee and access a smaller setof application functions and also to allow another user to pay a largerlicense fee and access a larger set of application functions, and thelike.

However, after distribution has occurred, such distributor has verylittle if any control over the distributed application. This isespecially problematic in view of the fact that the application may becopied and re-distributed to most any personal computer, presuming thatthe application is not otherwise protected in some manner from suchcopying and re-distribution. As should be appreciated, most any suchpersonal computer includes the software and hardware necessary to makean exact digital copy of such application, and to download such exactdigital copy to a write-able magnetic or optical disk, or to send suchexact digital copy over a network such as the Internet to anydestination.

Of course, as part of a transaction wherein the application isdistributed, the distributor may require the user/recipient of theapplication to promise not to re-distribute such application in anunwelcome manner. However, such a promise is easily made and easilybroken. A distributor may therefore attempt to prevent suchre-distribution through any of several known security measures.

One such security measure is product activation. In such productactivation, a customer acquiring a software application is provided witha product activation key corresponding thereto, which is a unique serialnumber and product identifier that acts as a proof of purchase or thelike. The provided product key is then entered during installation ofthe application on a particular computer device to act as a proffer thatthe application was acquired legally and/or otherwise properly. Theproduct activation key need not be and typically is not cryptographic innature, although a digital signature (which is cryptographic in nature)may be included to act as a guarantee that the product key is genuine.

The entered product key and an ID representative of the computer deviceare then sent to a product activation service as part of theinstallation process. As may be appreciated, the product activationservice determines whether the entered product key is valid, whether theproduct key has been employed before, and if so in connection with whatcomputer device. Typically, each product key enables an installation orre-installation of the application on a single computing device, as isset forth in a corresponding license agreement, although a product keymay also enable a set number of installations/re-installations onmultiple computer devices also.

Accordingly, if the product activation service determines that theentered product key has already been employed to install the applicationon another computer device (or has been employed a maximum number oftimes, for example), such activation service will not allow theinstallation of the application on the computer device to proceed, willnot allow a complete installation of the application on the computerdevice, will not allow the installed application to be used on thecomputer device, or the like, as the case maybe. Thus, activation asused herein may entail permission to install the application, permissionto perform some level of installation of the application, permission tocompletely install the application, some level of permission to use theapplication, complete permission to use the application, or the like.

If the activation service declines to activate the application for thecustomer based on an entered product key already being used inconnection with another computing device, or based on the enteredproduct key not supporting the level of activation desired, the customermust acquire another appropriate product key to install/completelyinstall/use the application on the computing device in the mannerdesired. Thus, the product key and the product activation service act toensure that the application is not nefariously or wantonlyinstalled/activated/used on multiple computing devices, such as may bein violation of any software license agreement associated with thesoftware product.

Note that as part of the activation process, the activation service mayreturn a digital version of the license to the computing device on whichthe application is associated. Such license may be tied to the computingdevice such that the license is not usable with any other computingdevice, and may express a level of activation, as well as license termssuch as application functions that are to be made available, functionsthat are to be made non-available, a period of activation or a number oftimes the application may be executed on the computing device, and thelike. In general, such license may express any limitations and/or rightsand also may express any policies that should be honored in connectionwith the execution of the application on the computing device, all asset forth by the distributor of the application or another entity.

With such license, then, a rights client controller with a licenseevaluator or the like may be employed on the computer along with thedistributed application to control operation and use of the applicationbased on an evaluation of whether the license so permits. However, aneed exists for an actual method and mechanism by which such rightsclient with such license evaluator may in fact control operation and useof the application based on the license. In particular, a need existsfor such a rights client with such a license evaluator that executescertain portions of code on behalf of and as a proxy for theapplication, but only if the license evaluator determines that thelicense allows such execution.

While in one case the portions of code are associated with theapplication, it is to be appreciated that in another case the portionsof code are associated with another entity, such as another applicationor executable. Thus, the (first) application cannot be run outside ofthe presence of the (second) application or executable. Accordingly, aneed exists for such a rights client with such a license evaluator thatexecutes certain portions of code associated with the second applicationon behalf of the first application and as a proxy for such firstapplication, but only if the license evaluator determines that thelicense allows such execution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aforementioned needs are satisfied at least in part by the presentinvention in which a computer has a first process with code to beexecuted in connection therewith, where the code includes at least onetriggering device, and a digital license corresponding to the firstprocess, where the license sets forth terms and conditions for operatingthe first process. A second process operating on the computerproxy-executes code corresponding to each triggering device of the firstprocess on behalf of such first process. The second process includes alicense evaluator for evaluating the license to determine whether thefirst process is to be operated in accordance with the terms andconditions set forth in such license, and the second process chooseswhether to in fact proxy-execute the code corresponding to eachtriggering device of the first process on behalf of such first processbased at least in part on whether the license evaluator has determinedthat the first process is to be operated in accordance with the termsand conditions of the license.

A third process includes the code corresponding to each triggeringdevice of the first process and an address of the triggering device inthe first process. Thus, the first process is dependent on and cannot beoperated without the second process and the third process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofthe embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood whenread in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose ofillustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodimentswhich are presently preferred. As should be understood, however, theinvention is not limited to the precise arrangements andinstrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram representing an exemplary non-limitingcomputing environment in which the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram representing an exemplary network environmenthaving a variety of computing devices in which the present invention maybe implemented;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a first computer process, a secondcomputer process proxy-executing code on behalf of the computer process,and related elements in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing key steps performed in connection withthe first and second processes of FIG. 3 to proxy-execute code inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing key steps performed to develop thefirst process of FIG. 3 in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a first computer process, a secondcomputer process proxy-executing code on behalf of the computer process,a third computer process supplying the proxy-executed code, and relatedelements in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing key steps performed in connection withthe first, second, and third processes of FIG. 6 to proxy-execute codein accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing key steps performed to develop thefirst and third processes of FIG. 6 in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Computer Environment

FIG. 1 and the following discussion are intended to provide a briefgeneral description of a suitable computing environment in which theinvention may be implemented. It should be understood, however, thathandheld, portable, and other computing devices of all kinds arecontemplated for use in connection with the present invention. While ageneral purpose computer is described below, this is but one example,and the present invention requires only a thin client having networkserver interoperability and interaction. Thus, the present invention maybe implemented in an environment of networked hosted services in whichvery little or minimal client resources are implicated, e.g., anetworked environment in which the client device serves merely as abrowser or interface to the World Wide Web.

Although not required, the invention can be implemented via anapplication programming interface (API), for use by a developer, and/orincluded within the network browsing software which will be described inthe general context of computer-executable instructions, such as programmodules, being executed by one or more computers, such as clientworkstations, servers, or other devices. Generally, program modulesinclude routines, programs, objects, components, data structures and thelike that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may becombined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. Moreover,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may bepracticed with other computer system configurations. Other well knowncomputing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may besuitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to,personal computers (PCs), automated teller machines, server computers,hand-held or laptop devices, multi-processor systems,microprocessor-based systems, programmable consumer electronics, networkPCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention mayalso be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks areperformed by remote processing devices that are linked through acommunications network or other data transmission medium. In adistributed computing environment, program modules may be located inboth local and remote computer storage media including memory storagedevices.

FIG. 1 thus illustrates an example of a suitable computing systemenvironment 100 in which the invention may be implemented, although asmade clear above, the computing system environment 100 is only oneexample of a suitable computing environment and is not intended tosuggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of theinvention. Neither should the computing environment 100 be interpretedas having any dependency or requirement relating to any one orcombination of components illustrated in the exemplary operatingenvironment 100.

With reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary system for implementing theinvention includes a general purpose computing device in the form of acomputer 110. Components of computer 110 may include, but are notlimited to, a processing unit 120, a system memory 130, and a system bus121 that couples various system components including the system memoryto the processing unit 120. The system bus 121 may be any of severaltypes of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, aperipheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of busarchitectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architecturesinclude Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro ChannelArchitecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video ElectronicsStandards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral ComponentInterconnect (PCI) bus (also known as Mezzanine bus).

Computer 110 typically includes a variety of computer readable media.Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessedby computer 110 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media,removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and notlimitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage mediaand communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatileand nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in anymethod or technology for storage of information such as computerreadable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data.Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM,EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CDROM, digitalversatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes,magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices,or any other medium which can be used to store the desired informationand which can be accessed by computer 110. Communication media typicallyembodies computer readable instructions, data structures, programmodules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier waveor other transport mechanism and includes any information deliverymedia. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one ormore of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encodeinformation in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation,communication media includes wired media such as a wired network ordirect-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF,infrared, and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the aboveshould also be included within the scope of computer readable media.

The system memory 130 includes computer storage media in the form ofvolatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) 131and random access memory (RAM) 132. A basic input/output system 133(BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer informationbetween elements within computer 110, such as during start-up, istypically stored in ROM 131. RAM 132 typically contains data and/orprogram modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presentlybeing operated on by processing unit 120. By way of example, and notlimitation, FIG. 1 illustrates operating system 134, applicationprograms 135, other program modules 136, and program data 137.

The computer 110 may also include other removable/non-removable,volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,FIG. 1 illustrates a hard disk drive 141 that reads from or writes tonon-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive 151that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk 152,and an optical disk drive 155 that reads from or writes to a removable,nonvolatile optical disk 156, such as a CD ROM or other optical media.Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storagemedia that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include,but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards,digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solidstate ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive 141 is typically connectedto the system bus 121 through a non-removable memory interface such asinterface 140, and magnetic disk drive 151 and optical disk drive 155are typically connected to the system bus 121 by a removable memoryinterface, such as interface 150.

The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed aboveand illustrated in FIG. 1 provide storage of computer readableinstructions, data structures, program modules and other data for thecomputer 110. In FIG. 1, for example, hard disk drive 141 is illustratedas storing operating system 144, application programs 145, other programmodules 146, and program data 147. Note that these components can eitherbe the same as or different from operating system 134, applicationprograms 135, other program modules 136, and program data 137. Operatingsystem 144, application programs 145, other program modules 146, andprogram data 147 are given different numbers here to illustrate that, ata minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter commands andinformation into the computer 110 through input devices such as akeyboard 162 and pointing device 161, commonly referred to as a mouse,trackball or touch pad. Other input devices (not shown) may include amicrophone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like.These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit120 through a user input interface 160 that is coupled to the system bus121, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such asa parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB).

A monitor 191 or other type of display device is also connected to thesystem bus 121 via an interface, such as a video interface 190. Agraphics interface 182, such as Northbridge, may also be connected tothe system bus 121. Northbridge is a chipset that communicates with theCPU, or host processing unit 120, and assumes responsibility foraccelerated graphics port (AGP) communications. One or more graphicsprocessing units (GPUs) 184 may communicate with graphics interface 182.In this regard, GPUs 184 generally include on-chip memory storage, suchas register storage and GPUs 184 communicate with a video memory 186.GPUs 184, however, are but one example of a coprocessor and thus avariety of co-processing devices may be included in computer 110. Amonitor 191 or other type of display device is also connected to thesystem bus 121 via an interface, such as a video interface 190, whichmay in turn communicate with video memory 186. In addition to monitor191, computers may also include other peripheral output devices such asspeakers 197 and printer 196, which may be connected through an outputperipheral interface 195.

The computer 110 may operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer180. The remote computer 180 may be a personal computer, a server, arouter, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, andtypically includes many or all of the elements described above relativeto the computer 110, although only a memory storage device 181 has beenillustrated in FIG. 1. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 1include a local area network (LAN) 171 and a wide area network (WAN)173, but may also include other networks. Such networking environmentsare commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranetsand the Internet.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 110 is connectedto the LAN 171 through a network interface or adapter 170. When used ina WAN networking environment, the computer 110 typically includes amodem 172 or other means for establishing communications over the WAN173, such as the Internet. The modem 172, which may be internal orexternal, may be connected to the system bus 121 via the user inputinterface 160, or other appropriate mechanism. In a networkedenvironment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 110, orportions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. Byway of example, and not limitation, FIG. 1 illustrates remoteapplication programs 185 as residing on memory device 181. It will beappreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and othermeans of establishing a communications link between the computers may beused.

One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that a computer 110 orother client device can be deployed as part of a computer network. Inthis regard, the present invention pertains to any computer systemhaving any number of memory or storage units, and any number ofapplications and processes occurring across any number of storage unitsor volumes. The present invention may apply to an environment withserver computers and client computers deployed in a network environment,having remote or local storage. The present invention may also apply toa standalone computing device, having programming languagefunctionality, interpretation and execution capabilities.

Distributed computing facilitates sharing of computer resources andservices by direct exchange between computing devices and systems. Theseresources and services include the exchange of information, cachestorage, and disk storage for files. Distributed computing takesadvantage of network connectivity, allowing clients to leverage theircollective power to benefit the entire enterprise. In this regard, avariety of devices may have applications, objects or resources that mayinteract to implicate authentication techniques of the present inventionfor trusted graphics pipeline(s).

FIG. 2 provides a schematic diagram of an exemplary networked ordistributed computing environment. The distributed computing environmentcomprises computing objects 10 a, 10 b, etc. and computing objects ordevices 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, etc. These objects may comprise programs,methods, data stores, programmable logic, etc. The objects may compriseportions of the same or different devices such as PDAs, televisions, MP3players, televisions, personal computers, etc. Each object cancommunicate with another object by way of the communications network 14.This network may itself comprise other computing objects and computingdevices that provide services to the system of FIG. 2. In accordancewith an aspect of the invention, each object 10 or 110 may contain anapplication that might request the authentication techniques of thepresent invention for trusted graphics pipeline(s).

It can also be appreciated that an object, such as 110 c, may be hostedon another computing device 10 or 110. Thus, although the physicalenvironment depicted may show the connected devices as computers, suchillustration is merely exemplary and the physical environment mayalternatively be depicted or described comprising various digitaldevices such as PDAs, televisions, MP3 players, etc., software objectssuch as interfaces, COM objects and the like.

There are a variety of systems, components, and network configurationsthat support distributed computing environments. For example, computingsystems may be connected together by wireline or wireless systems, bylocal networks or widely distributed networks. Currently, many of thenetworks are coupled to the Internet, which provides the infrastructurefor widely distributed computing and encompasses many differentnetworks.

In home networking environments, there are at least four disparatenetwork transport media that may each support a unique protocol such asPower line, data (both wireless and wired), voice (e.g., telephone) andentertainment media. Most home control devices such as light switchesand appliances may use power line for connectivity. Data Services mayenter the home as broadband (e.g., either DSL or Cable modem) and areaccessible within the home using either wireless (e.g., HomeRF or802.11b) or wired (e.g., Home PNA, Cat 5, even power line) connectivity.Voice traffic may enter the home either as wired (e.g., Cat 3) orwireless (e.g., cell phones) and may be distributed within the homeusing Cat 3 wiring. Entertainment media may enter the home eitherthrough satellite or cable and is typically distributed in the homeusing coaxial cable. IEEE 1394 and DVI are also emerging as digitalinterconnects for clusters of media devices. All of these networkenvironments and others that may emerge as protocol standards may beinterconnected to form an intranet that may be connected to the outsideworld by way of the Internet. In short, a variety of disparate sourcesexist for the storage and transmission of data, and consequently, movingforward, computing devices will require ways of protecting content atall portions of the data processing pipeline.

The ‘Internet’ commonly refers to the collection of networks andgateways that utilize the TCP/IP suite of protocols, which arewell-known in the art of computer networking. TCP/IP is an acronym for“Transport Control Protocol/Interface Program.” The Internet can bedescribed as a system of geographically distributed remote computernetworks interconnected by computers executing networking protocols thatallow users to interact and share information over the networks. Becauseof such wide-spread information sharing, remote networks such as theInternet have thus far generally evolved into an open system for whichdevelopers can design software applications for performing specializedoperations or services, essentially without restriction.

Thus, the network infrastructure enables a host of network topologiessuch as client/server, peer-to-peer, or hybrid architectures. The“client” is a member of a class or group that uses the services ofanother class or group to which it is not related. Thus, in computing, aclient is a process, i.e., roughly a set of instructions or tasks, thatrequests a service provided by another program. The client processutilizes the requested service without having to “know” any workingdetails about the other program or the service itself. In aclient/server architecture, particularly a networked system, a client isusually a computer that accesses shared network resources provided byanother computer e.g., a server. In the example of FIG. 2, computers 110a, 110 b, etc. can be thought of as clients and computer 10 a, 10 b,etc. can be thought of as the server where server 10 a, 10 b, etc.maintains the data that is then replicated in the client computers 110a, 110 b, etc.

A server is typically a remote computer system accessible over a remotenetwork such as the Internet. The client process may be active in afirst computer system, and the server process may be active in a secondcomputer system, communicating with one another over a communicationsmedium, thus providing distributed functionality and allowing multipleclients to take advantage of the information-gathering capabilities ofthe server.

Client and server communicate with one another utilizing thefunctionality provided by a protocol layer. For example,Hypertext-Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a common protocol that is used inconjunction with the World Wide Web (WWW). Typically, a computer networkaddress such as a Universal Resource Locator (URL) or an InternetProtocol (IP) address is used to identify the server or client computersto each other. The network address can be referred to as a UniversalResource Locator address. For example, communication can be providedover a communications medium. In particular, the client and server maybe coupled to one another via TCP/IP connections for high-capacitycommunication.

Thus, FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary networked or distributedenvironment, with a server in communication with client computers via anetwork/bus, in which the present invention may be employed. In moredetail, a number of servers 10 a, 10 b, etc., are interconnected via acommunications network/bus 14, which may be a LAN, WAN, intranet, theInternet, etc., with a number of client or remote computing devices 110a, 110 b, 110 c, 110 d, 110 e, etc., such as a portable computer,handheld computer, thin client, networked appliance, or other device,such as a VCR, TV, oven, light, heater and the like in accordance withthe present invention. It is thus contemplated that the presentinvention may apply to any computing device in connection with which itis desirable to process, store or render secure content from a trustedsource.

In a network environment in which the communications network/bus 14 isthe Internet, for example, the servers 10 can be Web servers with whichthe clients 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, 110 d, 110 e, etc. communicate via anyof a number of known protocols such as HTTP. Servers 10 may also serveas clients 110, as may be characteristic of a distributed computingenvironment. Communications may be wired or wireless, where appropriate.Client devices 110 may or may not communicate via communicationsnetwork/bus 14, and may have independent communications associatedtherewith. For example, in the case of a TV or VCR, there may or may notbe a networked aspect to the control thereof. Each client computer 110and server computer 10 may be equipped with various application programmodules or objects 135 and with connections or access to various typesof storage elements or objects, across which files may be stored or towhich portion(s) of files may be downloaded or migrated. Thus, thepresent invention can be utilized in a computer network environmenthaving client computers 110 a, 110 b, etc. that can access and interactwith a computer network/bus 14 and server computers 10 a, 10 b, etc.that may interact with client computers 110 a, 110 b, etc. and otherdevices 111 and databases 20.

Proxy Execution of Code

In the present invention, a rights client with a license evaluator andin connection with a product activation service controls operation anduse of an application based on a corresponding license by executing codeon behalf of and as a proxy for an application, but only if the licenseevaluator determines that the license allows such execution. Thus, therights client with the license evaluator enforces the license as againsta user of the application.

As may be appreciated, although the present invention is disclosedprimarily in terms of the rights client with the license evaluator, theapplication, the license, and the product activation service, suchpresent invention may also be employed in connection with alternateelements without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. For example, the application may instead be any applicationor type of process running on a computer, including a program, anoperating system, and the like, or even a piece of digital content suchas an audio recording or multimedia presentation. Similarly, the licensemay instead be any sort of permission token, with or without specificpermission parameters, and the license evaluator may instead be any kindof device for evaluating such a permission token. Likewise, the productactivation service may instead be any variety of permission-grantingauthority, and the rights client may instead be any variety ofcontrolling authority that can also proxy-execute code. Accordingly, andmore generally, in the present invention, a second process on a computercontrols the operation and use of a first process on a computer byexecuting code on behalf of and as a proxy for the first process.

Turning now to FIG. 3, it is seen that in one embodiment of the presentinvention, a first process such as an application 30 is dependent upon asecond process such as a rights client 32 to proxy execute at least someportion of code for the application 30, where the rights client 32includes a license evaluator 34 or the like. Accordingly, the rightsclient 32 may choose whether to in fact proxy execute the code for theapplication 30 based, among other things, on whether the licenseevaluator 34 has access to a license 36 corresponding to the application30, and on whether the license 36 has permissions or rights that allowor at least do not prohibit the action corresponding to the code to beexecuted. Note that such a license 36 and the license evaluation 34 ofthe rights client 32 are known or should be apparent to the relevantpublic and therefore need not be disclosed herein in any detail.

In one embodiment of the present invention, and referring now to FIG. 4,the application 30, rights client 32, and license evaluator 34 areconstructed to operate on a computer 110 (FIG. 1) or the like asfollows. Typically, either a user or another process on the computer 110instantiates the application 30 on such computer 110 as theaforementioned first process (step 401), and as part of an initializingprocess such application 30 ensures that the rights client 32 with thelicense evaluator 34 (hereinafter, ‘rights client 32’) is instantiatedon the computer 110 as the aforementioned second process (step 403).Thereafter, the application 30 establishes a connection with the rightsclient 32 (step 405). Note that it may be the case that the rightsclient 32 is already instantiated or it may be the case the rightsclient 32 must be newly instantiated, either by the application 30,another process, the user, or the like.

Once step 405 is performed, and presuming that a license 36corresponding to the application 30 is available to the rights client 32and the license evaluator 34 thereof, the application 30 can query therights client 32 to have the license evaluator 34 thereof determinebased on the license 36 the rights the application 30 has based on suchlicense 36, and the application 36 can then operate based on suchrights. However, it is to be appreciated that a nefarious entity wishingto subvert the license 36 might choose to attack the application 30 byre-directing the query to a stub rights client that would in effectgrant all rights to the application 30 without regard to any license 36,present or otherwise. Alternatively, such a nefarious entity mightchoose to spoof communications between the application 30 and the rightsclient 32 or may wish to attack the rights client 32 itself if theapplication 30 cannot be attacked. Note, though, that the latter case isless likely inasmuch as the rights client 32 should be highly secure andprotected from such an attack.

Accordingly, and in one embodiment of the present invention, the rightsclient 32 is required to proxy-execute at least some portions of code onbehalf of the application 30 so that the application is dependent on therights client 32. Put another way, by requiring the rights client 32 toproxy-execute at least some portion of code on behalf of the application30, the aforementioned nefarious entity cannot subvert the license 36 bysomehow removing the rights client 32 from participating in the methodof FIG. 4. Instead, the rights client 32 must participate toproxy-execute code on behalf of the application 30, and while doing sothe license evaluator 34 of the rights client 32 can also performevaluation functions with regard to the license 36. Thus the rightsclient 32 does not merely provide the application 30 with a true orfalse type of response that could be spoofed.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the license 36 includesencoded information regarding the code that the rights client 32 is toproxy-execute. Thus, the license 36 must be available to the rightsclient 32 for same to proxy-execute on behalf of the application 30. Forexample, the encoded information may include the code, a reference to alocation of the code, a decryption key for decrypting an encryptedversion of the code, or the like.

As should now be appreciated, in order to effectuate proxy-execution,the application 30 must be pre-processed to define the code that is tobe proxy-executed, to remove same from such application 30, and toappropriately store such removed code in a form proxy-executable by therights client 32. In one embodiment of the present invention, then, andturning now to FIG. 5, a method of pre-processing the application 30 toeffectuate proxy-execution is shown.

Preliminarily, and as may be appreciated, a developer develops sourcecode 38 (FIG. 3) for the application 30 in an appropriate programminglanguage, such as for example a C-type programming language (step 501).In doing so, and significantly, the developer identifies within suchsource code 38 for the application 30 each of one or more code sectionsthat is to be proxy-executed (step 503). As may be appreciated, eachsuch proxy-executed code section identification may comprise anyappropriate mark, tag, command, or the like without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention. Thereafter, the developercompiles the source code 38 with a compiler 40 into machine code 42(step 505).

Note that the developer may identify each code section within the sourcecode 38 based on any particular criteria without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention. For example, if the developermerely wishes to trigger proxy-execution from time to time so as toensure the rights client 32 is present and is allowing the application30 to operate based on a corresponding license 36, each such identifiedcode section may be decided upon in a fairly random manner. However, ifthe developer wishes to trigger proxy-execution at specific times and/orwith regard to specific sections of code, each such identified codesection must be decided upon in a more targeted manner. Note with regardto the latter that it may be the case that an identified code sectionspecifies a particular license right. In such a situation, it may alsobe the case that the rights client 32 will proxy-execute such identifiedcode section only if the specified license right in the license 36 ismet.

As may be appreciated, the compiler 40 may be any appropriate compilerwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.Significantly, the compiler 40 is constructed to maintain each codesection identification in the machine code 42 so that post-compileprocessing may be performed on the code section identified thereby. Suchmaintaining may be performed in any appropriate manner without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, thecompiler 40 may pass the identification from the source code 38 to themachine code 42 in a recognizable form, or may create a scratch table(not shown) with such information therein.

Thus, and in one embodiment of the present invention, after suchcompiling, the developer post-compiles the machine code 42 with eachrecognizable code section identification therein with a post-compiler 44into the final code representative of the application 30, where thepost-compiler 44 converts each identified code section into a formaccessible only by the rights client 32 and not by the application 30,such as for example by removing each identified code section in themachine code 42 from such application 30 or otherwise makes suchidentified code section inaccessible (step 507). As may be appreciated,such post-compiler 44 is constructed to retrieve each code sectionidentification, either from the machine code 42, the aforementionedscratch table, or elsewhere, and operate based thereon.

In one embodiment of the present invention, for each identified codesection in the machine code 42, the post-compiler 44 removes theidentified code section from the machine code 42 (step 507 a), replacesthe removed code section with a triggering device (step 507 b), notes anaddress of the triggering device within the application 30 (step 507 c),and stores the removed code section and the noted address in a table 46(FIG. 3) or the like (step 507 e). If necessary or advisable, eachremoved code section may stored in the table 46 in an encrypted formdecryptable by the rights client 32 (step 507 d). As was set forthabove, such table 46 may be made available to the rights client 32 bybeing set forth in the license 36, or by being set forth in anotherlocation. Note that the table 46 may be signed or otherwise protectedfrom alteration by a verifying device such as a hash.

As may be appreciated, by replacing the removed code section with thetriggering device, and presuming that the triggering device is shorterthan the removed code section, the post-compiler 44 shortens the machinecode 42. Note that the triggering device may be any appropriatetriggering device without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention, as long as the triggering device is recognizable as asignal that the rights client 32 is needed to proxy-execute thecorresponding removed code section. For example the triggering devicemay be a particular exception that would get the attention of the rightsclient 32.

After the post-compiler 44 is finished, and as should now beappreciated, such post-compiler 44 outputs final code representative ofthe application 30 (hereinafter, ‘the application 30’) and the table 46(step 509). As was set forth above, such table 46 may be made availableto the rights client 32 by being set forth in the license 36, or bybeing set forth in another location separate from the application 30. Itmay for example be the case that the table 46 with encrypted removedcode sections therein is placed in the license 36 along with adecryption key for decrypting each encrypted code section, where thedecryption key is itself encrypted in a manner decryptable by the rightsclient 32. Note that by separating the table 46 from the application 30,the application 30 has no innate access to the table 46 or the removedcode sections therein.

Thus, and returning now to FIG. 4, during runtime, and after theapplication 30 and rights client 32 have been instantiated, the rightsclient 32 attaches itself to the application 30 in the manner of adebugger or the like so that the rights client 32 can monitor theapplication 30 for when each triggering device/exception therein isexecuted (step 407). As may be appreciated, the rights client 32monitors the application 30 for the particular triggeringdevice/exception (hereinafter, ‘exception’) that signals that the rightsclient 32 is to proxy-execute on behalf of the application 30. Thus, onevery breakpoint exception, the rights client 32 determines whether theexception source is a removed code section, and if so the rights client32 proxy-executes the removed code section, presuming the license 36 soallows.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the rights client32 does not attach itself to the application 30 to monitor for anexception, but instead receives the exception from an operating systemoperating the computer 110. However, such an arrangement is indirect andtherefore slower. Another alternative would be to have each triggeringdevice be a call to the rights client 32, although such a strategy isslightly more complex as compared to an exception and is more prone toattack by a nefarious entity.

At some point, the application 30 may explicitly request permission tooperate from the rights client 32 based on the license 36. In response,the rights client 32 searches for the license 36, the license evaluator34 evaluates such license 36, and the rights client 32 returns suchrequested permission if the evaluation of the license evaluator 34 ispositive. Note, though, that such explicit request for permission andresponse are ancillary to the present invention. Rather, in the presentinvention, the rights client 32 is actuated based on an exception or thelike from the application 30 and not based on an explicit request fromthe application 30. Thus, in the present invention, the rights client 32can withhold performance of a function on behalf of the application 30even when the application 30 never requested permission to perform suchfunction.

At any rate, in the course of operating, the application 30 at somepoint executes an exception in the code thereof, where such exceptionwas placed in the application 30 by the post-compiler 44 in place of aremoved identified code portion (step 409). As should be understood,upon executing the exception, the application 30 halts until receivingnotice that the exception has been dealt with (step 411). Inasmuch asthe rights client 32 is attached to the operating application 30 and islistening for such exception from such application 30, such rightsclient 32 notes the exception (step 413) and responds thereto (step415).

In particular, to respond to the exception, the rights client firstdetermines the address of the exception within the application 30 (step415 a), locates the corresponding code section in the table 46 based onsuch address (step 415 b), proxy-executes such corresponding codesection on behalf of the application 30 (step 415 e), and then signalsto the application 30 that the exception has been dealt with (step 415f). As may be appreciated, the application 30 may then proceed (step417). Note that if the corresponding code section is encrypted, therights client 32 must decrypt the located corresponding code sectionbefore proxy-executing same (step 415 c). Note, too, that a particularcode section may require that the license evaluator 34 of the rightsclient 32 first verify that the license 36 grants the rights necessaryto proxy-execute such code section on behalf of the application 30 (step415 d). As may be appreciated, the rights client 32 proxy-executes suchcode section only if the license grants the right to do so. Otherwise,the rights client 32 declines to do so. In the latter case, it may bethat the rights client 32 returns an appropriate message to theapplication 30.

It is to be appreciated that a rights client 32 should not beproxy-executing any arbitrary code section, especially inasmuch as therights client 32 should be especially secure and therefore could have arelatively large amount of operating rights with respect to the computer110. Put another way, the rights client 32 should not be performingactions that the application 30 would not have operating rights toperform, such as altering certain system registers, accessing memoryareas of other applications and the operating system, and the like.Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, thepost-compiler 44 during operation thereof ensures that each code sectionremoved and stored thereby is not of a sensitive nature. For example, itmay be the case that the post-compiler 44 during operation thereofensures that each such code section does not affect system memory. Ofcourse, other bases for filtering code sections may be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Note thatif a code section includes sensitive code, it may be that thepost-compiler isolates such sensitive code and removes only sub-portionsof code on either side of the sensitive code.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the rights client 32proxy-executes on behalf of the application only if a valid license 36corresponding to such application 30 is available to the rights client32. In such a case, it may be that the purpose of each exception andproxy-execution based thereon is merely to occasionally check that thelicense 36 is still present and still valid. In an alternate embodiment,the rights client 32 proxy-executes on behalf of the application withoutregard to any corresponding valid license 36. In such a case, it may bethat the purpose of each exception and proxy-execution based thereon ismerely to tie the application 30 to the rights client 32, whichpresumably is tied to the computer 110, thus tying the application 30 tothe computer 110.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the application 30 asproduced by the post-compiler 44 may include multiple types ofexceptions, each triggering the rights client 32. However, eachdifferent type of exception is handled differently. For one example, onetype of exception may require the rights client 32 to check the license36 while another type may not. For another example, different types ofexceptions could require access to different tables 46, or could requiredifferent decryption keys and/or methods.

As disclosed herein, the application 30, the rights client 32, and thelicense 36 are separate constructs. Nevertheless, it should beappreciated that such items may be combined in any manner withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Forexample, the application 30 could include the rights client 32, or therights client 32 could include the license 36. Note, though, that in atleast some instances combined items may be more susceptible to an attackfrom a nefarious entity.

As also disclosed herein, the rights client 32 proxy-executes code onbehalf of the application 30. Alternatively, the rights client 32 mayoperate to modify the application 30 to include the to-be-executed code,allow such application 30 to execute such code, and then again modifythe application 30 to remove such code. Note, though, that such anarrangement may be more susceptible to attack by a nefarious entity,especially in the moments when the application 30 is modified to includethe to-be-executed code.

As may be appreciated, one especially useful aspect of the presentinvention is that the rights client 32 may now perform especially securefunctions on behalf of the application 30 such that a nefarious entityis thwarted from affecting such functions. For example, it may be thecase that a term in a license 36 affects how many times the application30 can perform a specific action. Although the application 30 couldobtain such term from such license 36, having the application 30 do socould allow a nefarious entity to intervene in the process to subvertsame. Instead, in one embodiment of the present invention, the rightsclient 32 is employed to proxy-execute code for the application 30relating to such term in such license 36, including obtaining the termand employing same.

Proxy Execution of Code as Obtained from Provider and on Behalf ofConsumer

As was set forth above, a rights client 32 with a license evaluator 34controls operation and use of an application 30 based on a correspondinglicense 36 by executing code on behalf of and as a proxy for theapplication 30, but only if the license evaluator 34 determines that thelicense 36 allows such execution. Thus, and again, the rights client 32with the license evaluator 34 enforces the license 36 as against a userof the application 30. As was set forth above, the code to be executedmay be embodied within a table 46 that may be made available to therights client 32 by being set forth in the license 36, or by being setforth in another location separate from the application 30.

Significantly, and in one embodiment of the present invention, andturning now to FIG. 6, rather than being set forth in the license 36,the code to be executed is associated with another object 50, such asfor example another application, an executable, a process, a datalibrary, a data file, or the like. Thus, and also significantly, theobject 50 acts as a provider 50 of the code, and the application 30 actsas a consumer 30 of the code, as shown in FIG. 6. As a result, theconsumer 30 cannot be operated without the presence of the provider 50,and the consumer 30 is thus dependent on the provider 50. Presuming thatthe provider 50 operates as part of a particular process on a computer,then, it is to be appreciated that in the present invention, theaforementioned second process on the computer (i.e., the rights client32) controls the operation and use of the aforementioned first processon the computer (i.e., the consumer 30) by executing code from a thirdprocess on the computer (i.e., the provider 50) on behalf of and as aproxy for the first process/consumer 30.

As may be appreciate, such an arrangement may be desirable for examplein an instance where a distributor or owner of the provider of theconsumer 30 wishes to ensure that such consumer 30 is operated only inconjunction with the provider 50, and not in conjunction with othersimilar objects. For example, a distributor of a codec for decryptingencrypted content may wish to ensure that the codec is only operated inconjunction with a particular media player. In such an instance, thecodec would act as the consumer 30 and the media player would act as theprovider 50, and appropriate portions of the code from thecodec/consumer 30 would be associated with the media player/provider 50.As may now be appreciated, the provider 50 likely has other code that isto be executed apart from the code that is to be executed on behalf ofthe consumer 30.

Referring still to FIG. 6, it is to be appreciated that in oneembodiment of the present invention, a first process or consumer 30 isdependent upon a second process or rights client 32 to proxy execute atleast some portion of code from a third process or provider 50 on behalfof the first process/consumer 30, where the rights client 32 includes alicense evaluator 34 or the like. Accordingly, the rights client 32 maychoose whether to in fact proxy execute the code from the provider 50for the consumer 30 based, among other things, on whether the licenseevaluator 34 has access to a license 36 corresponding to the consumer30, and on whether the license 36 has permissions or rights that allowor at least do not prohibit the action corresponding to the code to beexecuted. Again, such a license 36 and the license evaluation 34 of therights client 32 are known or should be apparent to the relevant publicand therefore need not be disclosed herein in any detail.

In one embodiment of the present invention, and referring now to FIG. 7,the consumer 30, rights client 32 with license evaluator 34, andprovider 50 are constructed to operate on a computer 110 (FIG. 1) or thelike as follows. Typically, either a user or another process on thecomputer 110 instantiates the consumer 30 on such computer 110 as theaforementioned first process (step 701), and as part of an initializingprocess such consumer 30 ensures that the rights client 32 with thelicense evaluator 34 (hereinafter, ‘rights client 32’) is instantiatedon the computer 110 as the aforementioned second process, and also thatthe provider 50 is instantiated on the computer 110 as theaforementioned third process (step 703). Thereafter, the consumer 30 andthe provider 50 each establish a connection with the rights client 32,and in doing so each of the consumer 30 and the provider 50 identifies alink to the other as a consumer-provider relationship (step 705). Notethat it may be the case that the rights client 32 and/or the provider 50are already instantiated or it may be one or more of such items must benewly instantiated, either by the consumer 30, another process, theuser, or the like.

Once step 705 is performed, and presuming that a license 36corresponding to the consumer 30 is available to the rights client 32,the consumer 30 can query the rights client 32 to have the licenseevaluator 34 thereof determine based on the license 36 the rights theconsumer 30 has based on such license 36. Alternatively, such rights maybe determined at a later time. Note here that the rights client 32 mayitself locate the license 36 or the consumer 30 may identify the license36 to the rights evaluator 32.

In the present invention, the rights client 32 is required toproxy-execute at least some portions of code from the provider 50 onbehalf of the consumer 30 so that the consumer 30 is dependent both onthe rights client 32 and the provider 50. By requiring the rights client32 to proxy-execute at least some portion of code from the provider 50on behalf of the consumer 30, both the rights client 32 is necessary toreview the license 36, and the provider 50 is necessary to provide theportion of the code to be proxy-executed by the rights client 32.

In one embodiment of the present invention, all of the code that therights client 32 is to proxy-execute on behalf of the consumer 30 is setforth as at least one code object 52 at an appropriate location in theprovider 50. If need be, at least one associated indexing objects 54 isalso set forth at an appropriate location of the provider 50, where theindexing object 54 is provided for indexing into the code object 52 inan appropriate manner. Thus, and again, the provider 50 must beavailable to the rights client 32 for same to proxy-execute the code inthe data object 52 thereof on behalf of the consumer 30. As was setforth above, such code in the code object 52 may be encrypted, in whichcase the license 36 or the like may provide a decryption key fordecrypting such encrypted code.

As should again be appreciated, in order to effectuate proxy-executionof code from a provider 50 on behalf of a consumer 30, the consumer 30must be pre-processed to define the code that is to be proxy-executed,to remove same from such consumer 30, to appropriately store suchremoved code in the code object 52 of the provider 50, to appropriatelyconstruct the associated indexing object 54 if necessary, and toappropriately store the code object 52 and any indexing object 54 withthe provider 50. In one embodiment of the present invention, then, andturning now to FIG. 8, a method of pre-processing the consumer 30 toeffectuate proxy-execution is shown.

Preliminarily, and again, a developer develops source code 38 (FIG. 3)for the consumer 30 in an appropriate programming language, such as forexample a C-type programming language (step 801). In doing so, andsignificantly, the developer identifies within such source code 38 forthe consumer 30 each of one or more code sections that is to beproxy-executed (step 803). As may be appreciated, each suchproxy-executed code section identification may comprise any appropriatemark, tag, command, or the like without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention. Thereafter, the developer compiles thesource code 38 with a compiler 40 into machine code 42 (step 805).

Again, the developer may identify each code section within the sourcecode 38 based on any particular criteria without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention. For example, if the developermerely wishes to trigger proxy-execution from time to time so as toensure that the rights client 32 is present and is allowing the consumer30 to operate based on a corresponding license 36, and also to ensurethat the provider 50 is present, each such identified code section maybe decided upon in a fairly random manner. However, if the developerwishes to trigger proxy-execution at specific times and/or with regardto specific sections of code, each such identified code section must bedecided upon in a more targeted manner. Note with regard to the latterthat it may be the case that an identified code section specifies aparticular license right. In such a situation, it may also be the casethat the rights client 32 will proxy-execute such identified codesection only if the specified license right in the license 36 is met.

As may again be appreciated, the compiler 40 may be any appropriatecompiler without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. Significantly, the compiler 40 is constructed to maintaineach code section identification in the machine code 42 so thatpost-compile processing may be performed on the code section identifiedthereby. Such maintaining again may be performed in any appropriatemanner without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. For example, the compiler 40 may pass the identification fromthe source code 38 to the machine code 42 in a recognizable form, or maycreate a scratch table (not shown) with such information therein.

Thus, and in one embodiment of the present invention, after suchcompiling, the developer post-compiles the machine code 42 with eachrecognizable code section identification therein with a post-compiler 44into the final code representative of the consumer 30, where thepost-compiler 44 removes each identified code section in the machinecode 42 from such consumer 30 and appends the removed code section tothe code object 52 of the provider 50 (step 807). As may be appreciated,such post-compiler 44 is constructed to retrieve each code sectionidentification, either from the machine code 42, the aforementionedscratch table, or elsewhere, and operate based thereon.

In one embodiment of the present invention, for each identified codesection in the machine code 42, the post-compiler 44 removes theidentified code section from the machine code 42 (step 807 a), replacesthe removed code section with a triggering device (step 807 b), notes anaddress of the triggering device within the consumer 30 (step 807 c),and stores the removed code section in the code object 52 of theprovider 50 and the noted address in the indexing object 54 of theprovider 50 as necessary (FIG. 6) or the like (step 807 e). If indeedsuch noted address is stored in such indexing object 54, step 807 e mayalso encompass creating a reference in the indexing object 54 to thelocation of the removed code section in the code object 52. Also, ifnecessary or advisable, each removed code section may be stored in thecode object 52 in an encrypted form decryptable by the rights client 32(step 807 d). Note that the code object 52 and/or the indexing object 54may be signed or otherwise protected from alteration by a verifyingdevice such as a hash.

As may be appreciated, and as shown in FIG. 6, for the post-compiler 44to perform the actions of step 807 et seq., such post-compiler should beprovided with the provider 50. In addition, for the consumer 30 and theprovider 50 to identify a link to the other as a consumer-providerrelationship as at step 705, the post-compiler 44 in the course ofoperation thereof as at step 807 should insert such an identificationwithin each of the consumer 30 and the provider 50.

As may also be appreciated, and again, by replacing each removed codesection from the consumer 30 with the triggering device, and presumingthat the triggering device is shorter than the removed code section, thepost-compiler 44 shortens the machine code 42 for such consumer 30. Notethat the triggering device may be any appropriate triggering devicewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, aslong as the triggering device is recognizable as a signal that therights client 32 is needed to proxy-execute the corresponding removedcode section in the provider 50 on behalf of the consumer 30. Forexample the triggering device may be a particular exception that wouldget the attention of the rights client 32.

After the post-compiler 44 is finished, and as should now beappreciated, such post-compiler 44 outputs final code representative ofthe consumer 30 and the provider 50 (step 809). To summarize quickly,the consumer 30 as issued by the post-compiler 44 includes linkinginformation to the provider 50 and triggering devices in place ofremoved code sections thereof, and the provider 50 as issued by thepost-compiler 44 includes linking information to the consumer 30, a dataobject 52 with the removed code sections, and perhaps an indexing object54 or the like to index from the triggering devices to the correspondingcode sections in the data object 52. In addition, if the code sectionswithin the data object 52 are encrypted, the post-compiler 44 mayprovide a decryption key to be placed in a corresponding license 36 inan appropriate manner.

Thus, and returning now to FIG. 7, during runtime, and after theconsumer 30, the rights client 32, and the provider 50 have beeninstantiated, the rights client 32 attaches itself to the consumer 30 inthe manner of a debugger or the like so that the rights client 32 canmonitor the consumer 30 for when each triggering device/exceptiontherein is executed (step 707). As may be appreciated, the rights client32 monitors the consumer 30 for the particular triggeringdevice/exception (hereinafter, ‘exception’) that signals that the rightsclient 32 is to proxy-execute code in the provider 50 on behalf of theconsumer 30. Thus, on every exception as generated by the consumer 30,the rights client 32 determines whether the exception source is aremoved code section available from the provider 50, and if so therights client 32 locates the removed code section at the provider 50 andproxy-executes same, presuming the license 36 so allows.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, and as before, therights client 32 does not attach itself to the consumer 30 to monitorfor an exception, but instead receives the exception from an operatingsystem operating the computer 110. However, and again, such anarrangement is indirect and therefore slower. Another alternative wouldbe to have each triggering device be a call to the rights client 32,although such a strategy is again slightly more complex as compared toan exception and is more prone to attack by a nefarious entity.

At some point, and as before, the consumer 30 may explicitly requestpermission to operate from the rights client 32 based on the license 36.In response, the rights client 32 searches for the license 36, thelicense evaluator 34 evaluates such license 36, and the rights client 32returns such requested permission if the evaluation of the licenseevaluator 34 is positive. Note again, though, that such explicit requestfor permission and response are ancillary to the present invention.Rather, in the present invention, the rights client 32 is actuated basedon an exception or the like from the consumer 30 and not based on anexplicit request from the consumer 30. Thus, in the present invention,the rights client 32 can withhold performance of a function on behalf ofthe consumer 30 even when the consumer 30 never requested permission toperform such function.

At any rate, in the course of operating, the consumer 30 at some pointexecutes an exception in the code thereof, where such exception wasplaced in the consumer 30 by the post-compiler 44 in place of a removedidentified code portion (step 709). As should be understood, uponexecuting the exception, the consumer 30 halts until receiving noticethat the exception has been dealt with (step 711). Inasmuch as therights client 32 is attached to the operating consumer 30 and islistening for such exception from such consumer 30, such rights client32 notes the exception (step 413) and responds thereto (step 415).

In particular, and similar to before, to respond to the exception, therights client first determines the address of the exception within theconsumer 30 (step 715 a), locates the corresponding code section in thedata object 52 of the provider 50 based on such address and the indexingobject 54 if necessary (step 715 b), proxy-executes such correspondingcode section at the provider 50 on behalf of the consumer 30 (step 715e), and then signals to the consumer 30 that the exception has beendealt with (step 715 f). As may be appreciated, the consumer 30 may thenproceed (step 717). Note that if the corresponding code section isencrypted, the rights client 32 must decrypt the located correspondingcode section before proxy-executing same (step 715 c). Note, too, that aparticular code section may again require that the license evaluator 34of the rights client 32 first verify that the license 36 grants therights necessary to proxy-execute such code section on behalf of theconsumer 30 (step 715 d). As may be appreciated, the rights client 32proxy-executes such code section only if the license grants the right todo so. Otherwise, the rights client 32 declines to do so. In the lattercase, it may be that the rights client 32 returns an appropriate messageto the consumer 30.

It is again to be appreciated that a rights client 32 should not beproxy-executing any arbitrary code section, especially inasmuch as therights client 32 should be especially secure and therefore could have arelatively large amount of operating rights with respect to the computer110. Put another way, the rights client 32 should not be performingactions that the consumer 30 would not have operating rights to perform,such as altering certain system registers, accessing memory areas ofother applications and the operating system, and the like. Accordingly,in one embodiment of the present invention, the post-compiler 44 duringoperation thereof ensures that each code section removed and storedthereby is not of a sensitive nature. For example, it may be the casethat the post-compiler 44 during operation thereof ensures that eachsuch code section does not affect system memory. Of course, other basesfor filtering code sections may be employed without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention. Note that if a code sectionincludes sensitive code, it may be that the post-compiler isolates suchsensitive code and removes only sub-portions of code on either side ofthe sensitive code.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the rights client 32proxy-executes code in the provider 50 on behalf of the consumer 30 onlyif a valid license 36 corresponding to such consumer 30 is available tothe rights client 32. In such a case, it may be that the purpose of eachexception and proxy-execution based thereon is merely to occasionallycheck that the license 36 is still present and still valid, and that theprovider 50 is also present and operating. In an alternate embodiment,the rights client 32 proxy-executes on behalf of the application withoutregard to any corresponding valid license 36. In such a case, it may bethat the purpose of each exception and proxy-execution based thereon ismerely to tie the consumer 30 to the rights client 32 and to theprovider 50.

In one embodiment of the present invention, and as before, the consumer30 as produced by the post-compiler 44 may include multiple types ofexceptions, each triggering the rights client 32. However, eachdifferent type of exception is handled differently. For one example, andrecognizing that the consumer 30 may be tied to multiple providers 50,each type of exception may correspond to code to be executed from aparticular provider 50.

As disclosed herein, the rights client 32 proxy-executes code from aprovider 50 on behalf of a consumer 30. Alternatively, and again, therights client 32 may operate to modify the consumer 30 to include theto-be-executed code, allow such consumer 30 to execute such code, andthen again modify the consumer 30 to remove such code. Note again,though, that such an arrangement may be more susceptible to attack by anefarious entity, especially in the moments when the consumer 30 ismodified to include the to-be-executed code.

CONCLUSION

The programming necessary to effectuate the processes performed inconnection with the present invention is relatively straight-forward andshould be apparent to the relevant programming public. Accordingly, suchprogramming is not attached hereto. Any particular programming, then,may be employed to effectuate the present invention without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof.

In the present invention, a method and mechanism are provided by which arights client 32 with a license evaluator 34 controls operation and useof an consumer 30 based on a license 36 corresponding thereto. Therights client 32 with the license evaluator 34 executes certain portionsof code from a provider 50 on behalf of and as a proxy for the consumer30, where the license evaluator 34 can determine if the license 36allows such execution. Thus, the consumer 30 cannot be run outside ofthe presence of the provider 50.

It should be appreciated that changes could be made to the embodimentsdescribed above without departing from the inventive concepts thereof.It should be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limitedto the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to covermodifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention asdefined by the appended claims.

1. A computer having thereon: a first process operating on the computercomprising code to be executed in connection therewith, the codeincluding at least one triggering device; a digital licensecorresponding to the first process, the license setting forth terms andconditions for operating the first process; a second process operatingon the computer for proxy-executing code corresponding to eachtriggering device of the first process on behalf of such first process,the second process including a license evaluator for evaluating thelicense to determine whether the first process is to be operated inaccordance with the terms and conditions set forth in such license, thesecond process choosing whether to in fact proxy-execute the codecorresponding to each triggering device of the first process on behalfof such first process based at least in part on whether the licenseevaluator has determined that the first process is to be operated inaccordance with the terms and conditions of the license; and a thirdprocess including the code corresponding to each triggering device ofthe first process and an address of the triggering device in the firstprocess; whereby the first process is dependent on and cannot beoperated without the second process and the third process.
 2. Thecomputer of claim 1 wherein the first process is an application and thesecond process a rights client.
 3. The computer of claim 1 wherein thethird process is one of another application, an executable, a datalibrary, and a data file.
 4. The computer of claim 1 wherein the thirdprocess includes a code object having the code corresponding to eachtriggering device of the first process, and an indexing object indexingthe address of the triggering device in the first process to the code inthe code object.
 5. The computer of claim 4 wherein the codecorresponding to each triggering device of the first process isencrypted within the code object and is decryptable according to adecryptior key obtainable by the second process.
 6. The computer ofclaim 5 wherein the license includes the decryption key encrypted in amanner decryptable by the second process.
 7. A method for developing afirst process that is to be operated on a computer such that a secondprocess operating on the computer may proxy-execute code on behalf ofsuch first process, the method comprising: developing source code forthe first process in an appropriate programming language; identifyingwithin such source code each of one or more code sections that is to beproxy-executed by the second process; compiling the source code intomachine code such that an identification of each identified code sectionis maintained; post-compiling the machine code with each identified codesection therein into final code representative of the first processbased on the identification of each identified code section by for eachidentified code section converting same into a form accessible only bythe second process and not by the first process, such post-compiling ofthe machine code comprising, for each identified code section in themachine code: removing the identified code section from the machinecode; replacing the removed code section with a triggering device;noting an address of the triggering device within the final coderepresentative of the first process; and storing the removed codesection and the noted address with code for a third process to beoperated on the computer; and the method further comprising outputtingthe final code representative of the first process and final coderepresentative of the third process.
 8. The method of claim 7 furthercomprising outputting the final code representative of the first processto include linking information to the final code representative of thethird process, and outputting the final code representative of the thirdprocess to include linking information to the final code representativeof the first process.
 9. The method of claim 7 comprising storing theremoved code section in the code for the third process in an encryptedform decryptable according to a decryption key obtainable by the secondprocess.
 10. The method of claim 7 comprising storing the removed codesection in a code object of the code for the third process and the notedaddress in an indexing object of the code for the third process.
 11. Themethod of claim 7 comprising replacing the removed code section with apredetermined exception predefined to be noted by the second process.12. The method of claim 7 comprising identifying each code section to beproxy-executed by way of at least one of a mark, tag, and command. 13.The method of claim 7 wherein the second process includes a licenseevaluator for evaluating a digital license corresponding to the firstprocess, the license setting forth terms and conditions for operatingthe first process, the license evaluator for determining whether thefirst process is to be operated in accordance with the terms andconditions set forth in such license, the second process choosingwhether to in fact proxy-execute the code corresponding to eachtriggering device of the first process on behalf of such first processbased at least in part on whether the license evaluator has determinedthat the first process is to be operated in accordance with the termsand conditions of the license, the method comprising identifying eachcode section to be proxy-executed in a manner such that proxy-executionoccurs from time to time so as to ensure that the second process ispresent and is allowing the first process to operate based on thelicense.
 14. The method of claim 7 wherein the second process includes alicense evaluator for evaluating a digital license corresponding to thefirst process, the license setting forth terms and conditions foroperating the first process, the license evaluator for determiningwhether the first process is to be operated in accordance with the termsand conditions set forth in such license, the second process choosingwhether to in fact proxy-execute the code corresponding to eachtriggering device of the first process on behalf of such first processbased at least in part on whether the license evaluator has determinedthat the first process is to be operated in accordance with the termsand conditions of the license, the method comprising identifying eachcode section to be proxy-executed in a targeted manner such thatproxy-execution occurs at specific times and/or with regard to specificsections of code.
 15. The method of claim 14 comprising identifying eachcode section includes specifying a particular license term or condition,whereby the second process proxy-executes such identified code sectiononly if the specified license term or condition in the license is met.16. The method of claim 7 further comprising ensuring with regard toeach identified code section that the identified code section does notimpinge on pre-defined secure aspects of the computer.
 17. A method incombination with a computer having a first process operating thereon andcomprising code to be executed in connection therewith, the codeincluding at least one triggering device, and a third process includinga code section corresponding to each triggering device of the firstprocess and an address of the triggering device in the first process,the method for a second process operating on the computer toproxy-execute code corresponding to each triggering device of the firstprocess on behalf of such first process, the method comprising: thesecond process monitoring for when the first process executes atriggering device thereof; the first process executing a triggeringdevice and halting; the second process noting the triggering devicebeing executed by the first process and responding thereto by:determining an address of the triggering device within the firstprocess; locating in the third process the code section corresponding tothe triggering device based on the determined address; proxy-executingthe located code section on behalf of the first process; and signalingto the first process that the triggering device has been dealt with; andthe first process then resuming, whereby the first process is dependentupon the second process for operation thereof.
 18. The method of claim17 wherein the computer further includes a digital license correspondingto the first process, the license setting forth terms and conditions foroperating the first process, the method further comprising the secondprocess evaluating the license and verifying that the first process isoperating in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in suchlicense prior to proxy-executing the located code section on behalf ofthe first process.
 19. The method of claim 17 wherein the located codesection is encrypted, the method further comprising the second processdecrypting the located code section before proxy-executing same.
 20. Themethod of claim 17 wherein each triggering device is a particularexception and comprising the second process monitoring for when thefirst process executes the particular exception.
 21. The method of claim20 further comprising the second process attaching to the first processso as to monitor the first process for the particular exceptiondirectly.
 22. The method of claim 17 wherein each triggering device isone of a plurality of types of exceptions and comprising the secondprocess monitoring for when the first process executes any of the typesof exceptions, the second process responding to each type of exceptionin a differing manner.
 23. The method of claim 17 wherein the computerfurther includes a digital license corresponding to the first process,the license setting forth terms and conditions for operating the firstprocess, and wherein the second process proxy-executing the located codesection on behalf of the first process comprises the second processsecurely retrieving a term or condition from the license and employingsame on behalf of the first process.